“Wait, what’s a Hello Kitty rave?”
These are words I never imagined I’d say, but as I sit cross-legged on a beanbag chair in my daughter’s playroom, on a call with Los Angeles-based digital creator Sophia Torres, it takes less than five minutes for me to be asked this question.
Torres trades in all things cute. Her wardrobe is filled with billowing ballerina skirts and bow-tied headbands, and her bedroom has an entire section dedicated to collectibles from the Japanese entertainment company Sanrio. She tells me that Pompompurin, a fluffy yellow dog wearing a beret, is her favorite character from the beloved brand, but Hello Kitty, the first and probably the most famous creationis at the top of the list. Which brings us back to the dance party in question.
“It’s basically a rave, but Hello Kitty makes an appearance and they have graphics of her DJing, and stuff like that,” he says. Towers28, explaining that this is just one of the many ways the cartoon’s legions of mega-fans celebrate its IRL. “You have to be over 21 to join, but there’s this healthy [aspect] of Hello Kitty having fun and shaking some ass, you know?”
Honestly, I don’t know. But once you start paying attention, her charming mouthless face and little red bow are ubiquitous, especially this summer, which marks the 50th anniversary of her debut. She’s the star of a new collaboration with Forever21 and appears on limited-edition Baggu print totes and laptop sleeves. Cult punk brand Chopova Lowena is offering an entire line centered around her image at Nordstrom; beloved ice cream chain Van Leeuwen has been selling pints of a Hello Kitty-themed flavor with berries and white chocolate truffle. (Which, sadly, at least in my closest Brooklyn outpost, seems to be sold out.)
“We have been strategically licensing Hello Kitty for several decades with a broad range of products chosen with a constant focus on both her current fans and the next generation of fans,” Jill Koch, senior vice president of Marketing and Brand Management at Sanrio Inc., tells me in an email. “We are always on the lookout for brands, products and partners that will surprise and delight her fans as the love for Hello Kitty grows and evolves.”
This strategy is clearly working. The market for the unofficial ambassador of kawaii (the Japanese term for all things cute and cuddly) is booming, even outside of the growing hype surrounding a half-century milestone. Which, it should be noted, is a lot: According to Koch, Sanrio has been working flat out to make the occasion meaningful through digital experiences on platforms like YouTube and Roblox. They’re also hosting in-person events like a “Hello Kitty Night” with the LA Dodgers where a life-size Hello Kitty throws out the first pitch and guests receive a special 50th anniversary plush souvenir.